Methods of Remapping a Keyboard Within a Computer System

This invention relates generally to remapping a keyboard, and more particularly to methods of remapping a keyboard across terminal emulation functions in a computer system in an accurate and user friendly manner.

With the increase in personal computer users and the increase in complexity of software programs, the programs need to compensate for the less sophisticated users. One of the major problems facing personal computer users is the keyboard layout. The placement of graphic keys and function keys varies greatly from program to program. The ability to move the key definitions gives the user a way to lessen the confusion when executing different programs.

The typical way of changing the definition of keys is through a file built by the user. That file has the syntactical statements that modify keys. The syntax of those statements varies from program to program. The set of keys that can be moved also may vary from product to product. Some of these files modify the keyboard layout used by the operating system. Some modify the keyboard layout used within a program. In some cases, both kinds of redefinition can be active simultaneously causing compound redefinition. It is very difficult for the less sophisticated user to understand how and when these redefinitions occur.

Consequently, a user friendly technique is needed which facilitates the changing of the users' keyboard layouts. This technique should be easily understandable. It should lessen the confusion between different physical keyboards, different functions, different graphics keys and different native keyboard layouts. It should allow a user to modify all keyboard layouts encountered in a complex product with a common key definition facility.

A method of remapping a keyboard within a computer system in a user friendly manner. An end user activates the keyboard remap program and then selects the type of keyboard layout to be remapped. The user is then prompted to select one of a plurality of operations to be performed on the selected keyboard. The operations include create a new keyboard, and change, display or delete an existing keyboard. If the selected operation is create or change, the user is presented with a display of a layout of the selected keyboard. Thereafter, the user selects one or more keys to be remapped and selects an action to be performed on the selected key or keys. The available actions include swap, edit, deselect, display or exit. In order to change one or more of the definitions for a selected key, the user selects either the edit or the swap action. The definitions associated with the selected key may be a single character, a string of characters, or a function. The user may then simultaneously view the definitions of a plurality of keys within a selected one of a plurality of sections of the selected keyboard. After the user has performed the desired actions on the selected keyboard, the user may store the modified keyboard and exit the remap program or perform other operations which are available in the remap program.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system on which the method of the present invention may be employed.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the detailed steps of the method of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 through 19 are display screens which are employed by the users of the computer system in remapping one or more keyboards associated with emulators installed in the computer system.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a computer system 10 on which the present invention may be employed. System 10 includes a central processing unit 12 having a microprocessor 14, a memory system 16 and a control system 18 which functions to control input/output operations in addition to the interaction between the microprocessor and the memory system. System 10 also includes a group of conventional peripheral units including a display device 20, a keyboard 22, a printer 24, a data storage unit 26 and a communication adapter, such as a modem 28. Since the details of the above described functional systems form no part of the present invention and can be found in the prior art, only a brief functional description of each of the systems will be set forth.

The central processing unit 12 corresponds to the "system unit" of a personal computer system such as the IBM XT or the IBM AT or the IBM Personal Systems/2 computer systems. The central processing unit 12 is provided with a multitasking operating system program such as the IBM Operating System/2 which is normally employed to run the systems. The operating system program is stored in memory system 16 along with one or more application programs that the user has selected to run. Depending on the capacity of the memory system 16 and the size of the application programs, portions of these programs, as needed, may be transferred to the memory system 16 from the data storage unit 26 which may include, for example, a hard disk drive and a diskette drive. The basic function of the data storage unit 26 is to store programs and data which are employed by the system 10 and which may readily be transferred to the memory system 16 when needed. The function of the diskette drive is to provide a removable storage function for entering programs and data into the system, and a vehicle for storing data in a form that is readily transportable for use on other computer systems.

Display device 20 and keyboard 22 together provide for an interactive operation of the computer system 10 wherein the interpretation that the computer system gives to a specific keystroke by the user depends, in substantially all situations, on what is being displayed to the user at that point in time.

In certain situations, the user, by entering commands into the computer system 10, causes the system to perform a certain function. In other situations, the computer system 10 requests the entry of certain data, generally by displaying a prompt type of menu/message screen. The depth of the interaction between the user and the computer system 10 varies by the type of operating system and the application program, but is a necessary characteristic of the computer systems on which the method of the present invention may be employed.

As noted above, computer system 10 includes the printer 24 which functions to provide a hard copy output of data developed or stored in the computer system. The modem 28 functions to transfer data from the computer system 10 to a remote host system or server system through one or more communication links which may be a commercial type link or a dedicated communications link.

System 10 includes a function program stored in the memory system 16 thereof which enables the system to remap the keyboard 22 which enables the system 10 to emulate a plurality of different types of terminals.

An end user of system 10, after activating the keyboard function program, may change the action or definition of any shift state of any key except selected keys which are not modifiable. The "not modifiable" keys are identified in the profile of the keyboard and include such keys as a system hot key and the shift keys. The shift state of a selected key indicates either the base, uppercase, control, alternate, or alternate-graphics state thereof. The user may exchange or swap the actions or definitions of two selected keys. Strings of keystrokes may be assigned to any shift state of a selected key. The user may remove all of the actions or definitions of a selected key so that subsequent depression of the key will result in no action to be taken by the system 10. The key actions or definitions which have been removed from a profile may be restored by the user subsequent to the activation of the keyboard function program. The keyboard function program allows the user to make a customized profile for all of the operating system emulators' keyboards irrespective of whether the user is using that particular keyboard.

Set out below is an illustration of the keyboard function program for remapping the keyboard 22 for a plurality of terminal emulation functions, hereinafter emulators, installed on system 10. The result of remapping the keyboard 22 is a keyboard profile which is a set of tables. The tables define the actions of all of the keys on a selected emulators' keyboard. The format of the tables is common to all of the emulators. The keyboard function program is in program design language from which source code and machine code are derivable. In the following general description of the keyboard function program, it is to be assumed that system 10 is under mouse and keyboard device control. Moreover, it is assumed that the keyboard function program is invoked from a driver program contained in the operating system which facilitates the display of all of the screen panels and the monitoring of the keyboard 22. Additionally, it is assumed that the operating system includes a plurality of emulators as an integral part thereof.

The RKBMAIN module is called when the user activates the keyboard function program. The user is prompted to select one of a plurality of emulators, and one type of a plurality of physical keyboards to perform the keyboard remap function. The RKBMAIN module initializes the dialog with the user by displaying a configuration pop-up panel on the display 20. System 10, in response to the RKBMAIN module will display a default configuration file name which is the active configuration file. The user may enter a different file name if desired. As noted above, the user is prompted to select the emulator to be used with the remapped keyboard and the physical keyboard. For purposes of illustration and not limitation, the user may select from the following emulators and physical keyboards, respectively: the IBM 3101 terminal emulator, the IBM 3270 terminal emulator, or the VT100 terminal emulator, the IBM AT keyboard, the IBM Enhanced 101 keyboard, or the IBM Enhanced 102 keyboard. The RKBMAIN module then call the RKBOPRT module.

The RKBOPRT module process the profile operations. The user selects, in response to a pop-up panel displayed on the display 20, one of a plurality of operations to be performed. The operations include display an existing keyboard profile, change an existing keyboard profile, create a new keyboard profile or delete an existing profile. If the user selects the display, change or delete operations, the system 20 prompts the user to enter an existing profile name. If the create operation is selected, a SPECIFY.sub.-- MODEL.sub.-- NEW.sub.-- PROFILE subroutine is called by the RKBOPRT module which prompts the user to enter an existing profile name which will be the starting layout or model profile for the new profile and a new profile name under which the resulting or newly created profile will be saved. System 20 includes a list of default or available model profile names stored in memory 16 and will display the list to the user in response to the user's request. The list of model profile names displayed are the only names relevant to the emulator, physical keyboard and profile operation previously selected by the user. Thereafter, the user is prompted to enter any comments to be stored with the new profile name. Subsequently, the SPECIFY.sub.-- MODEL.sub.-- NEW.sub.-- PROFILE subroutine calls a RKBACTS module to perform the keyboard remap actions.

The RKBACTS module facilitates the display of an action panel or a keyboard layout which is a diagram of the selected type of physical keyboard. FIG. 11 shows an example of an action panel or keyboard layout for the IBM AT Keyboard. It is to be understood that other types of keyboards may be displayed in this manner. The RKBACTS module facilitates the establishment of a key position and scan code mapping table and the setting of pointers to the respective ASCII, function name, translate and string tables for the selected physical keyboard, emulator and keyboard profile. Each action panel includes a plurality of blots which represents the position of each of the respective keys on the selected physical keyboard. The user is then prompted to select a key or key position on the action panel. Selection of a key is by moving a cursor coincident therewith through the use of cursor keys on keyboard 22 (FIG. 1) or through the use of a point device such as a mouse. When a key is selected, the selected key is highlighted on the diagram of the keyboard in the action panel. Moreover, a first pop-up panel is displayed which sets forth all of the current key definitions for the selected key. Since this profile is based upon an existing profile, there may be existing definitions for one or more of the keys represented by the blots.

If the user wants to modify one or all of the selected key's definition, the user then selects an edit function from an action bar appearing in the action panel. System 10 will then display an edit pop-up panel which lists the existing assignments or definitions for the selected key. The user then may enter a new definition or change one or more of the existing definitions for the selected key. The new definition may be a single character, a string of characters, a function, or a combination of a string and a function. Moreover, the user may request system 10 to display a list of functions for the selected emulator and select one of the functions listed therein. As noted above, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, each key may have as many as five possible definitions or actions. Thereafter, if a second key is selected in the manner set forth above, a second pop-up panel is displayed adjacent to the first pop-up panel. These two pop-up panels enables the user to simultaneously view the definitions of two different keys. The user may select a swap action which facilitates the exchange of all of the assignments of the two keys. The user may continue to select keys and edit or swap their respective definitions. After all of the editing and swapping have been completed, the user may select a display action or exit function.

If the display action is selected, the RKBACTS module call a RKBVIEW module which facilitates the display of a plurality of keyboard panels having a plurality of cells and enables the user to view a running account of the changes being made. The cells in the keyboard panels are representations of each key position on the selected physical keyboard. Each of the respective cells include all of the definitions of the shift states associated with the respective keys. The definitions associated with the respective keys are filled in from the actual keyboard tables as they are being changed. Due to the size of the screen on the display 20, the selected keyboard is separated into sections. One keyboard panel is associated with an associated section of the selected physical keyboard. The keyboard panels are displayed in a rotating manner. The first keyboard panel to be displayed will be the section which included the last key selected and simultaneously displays all of the keys in that section and their respective definitions. When the user completes the display of the different keyboard panels, system 10 re-displays the action panel. The user may then continue to select keys and perform the edit action or swap action thereon.

If the user selects the exit function, system 10 displays an exit operations pop-up panel. The user enters whether the profile should be saved prior to exit, exit without saving the profile, save then resume other profile operations or resume without saving the profile.

If the user selected the change, display or delete operations above, a SPECIFY.sub.-- PROFILE subroutine is called by the RKBOPRT module and which facilitates the display of a pop-up panel prompting the user to enter the existing keyboard profile name. The change operation enables the user..to change the definitions associated with one or more of the keys associated with the existing keyboard profile name. The user is then presented with an action panel which is a diagram of the previously selected physical keyboard. The user selects and edits the keys in the same manner noted above for the create operation. After all of the changes have been made, the user either selects the display operation or the exit operation.

Upon the selection of the display operation, the user is prompted to enter an existing keyboard profile name. The SPECIFY.sub.-- PROFILE subroutine then reads the keyboard profile into a working area of memory 16. Thereafter a RKBVIEW module is called to facilitate the display of the selected keyboard. The keyboard panels are then displayed to show all of the keys with a section of the selected keyboard and all of the definitions for the respective keys. The subsequent keyboard panel or the previous keyboard panel will be displayed in a rotating manner in response to the user activating an associated function key on the keyboard 22.

The selection of the change operation also prompts the user to enter an existing keyboard profile name. The SPECIFY.sub.-- PROFILE subroutine then reads the keyboard profile into a working area of memory 16. Thereafter the RKBACTS module is called to perform all remap actions.

The selection of the delete operation also prompts the user to enter an existing keyboard profile name. After the profile name is entered, system 10 delete operation. Thereafter, if the user confirms the selection of the delete operation, the system 10 deletes the existing keyboard profile from the memory system 16.

The RKBVIEW module, which is called by the RKBOPRT and the RKBACTS modules, facilitates the display of a layout for the current keyboard. A scan code and panel index mapping table will be generated. The RBKVIEW module then calls FILL.sub.-- UP.sub.-- DISPLAY.sub.-- TABLE and DISPLAY.sub.-- LAYOUT subroutines to facilitate the display of a series of view or keyboard panels. The keyboard panels each includes the plurality of cells wherein each of the cells includes the representations of all of shift states for each key in the keyboard.

The RKBREPLY module is called by the RKBACTS module to process the current or the current/prior selected key pop-up panels. As noted above, these pop-up panels display all of the definitions associated with the selected key.

A RKBASCPM module is called from the RKBREPLY and RKBVIEW modules to convert a key definition (type, value, XLAT operation) into a displayable single character. This module is also called by the RKBREMAP module to convert a single character into the key definition. This module performs the following functions: obtains primary code page in profile header, loads ASCII table for chosen emulator, identifies a convert direction by a convert direction flag, converts a key definition to a single character by using the XLAT table when convert direction is "reply" and converts a single character to a key definition using the XLAT table when the convert direction is "remap".

A RKBFNCPM module is called by the RKBREPLY and RKBVIEW modules to convert a key definition into a displayable function name. This module is also called by the RKBREMAP module to convert a function name into the key definition. THE RKBFNCPM module performs the following functions: loads function table for a chosen emulator, identifies a convert direction, converts a key definition to a function name when the convert direction is "reply" and converts a function name to a key definition when the convert direction is "remap".

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a flow diagram of the keyboard function program. After the keyboard program has been activated by the user, the system 10 prompts the user to enter the name of a configuration file in step 50. The program will present the user with a default configuration file which is the current file in use. The user may enter a different file other than the one presented. The user also enters the emulator for which the remap keyboard is to be used and selects the physical keyboard on which the remapping is to be used. The user in step 52 selects one of a plurality of profile operations to be performed on the keyboard profile. The types of operations include display, create, change and delete. In step 58, the system 10 determines whether the create operation was selected in step 52. If the create operation was not selected in step 52, the user has selected the change, delete or the display operation. Step 56 prompts the user to provide the name of an existing keyboard profile upon which the selected profile operation will act.

If the user selected the create operation in step 52, the user, in step 58, is prompted to enter an existing model profile name and a new profile name under which the newly created keyboard will be saved. The user in step 60 may enter any comment text which will be stored with the designated profile name. In step 62, a determination is made whether the delete operation was selected.

If the delete operation was selected, the designated keyboard profile is deleted from memory 16 in step 64.

Step 66 determines whether the display operation was selected which facilitates the display of a plurality of keyboard panels in step 68. The user may exit the display profile in step 70. Otherwise, control is transferred to step 52 to facilitate the selection of another profile operation. If the display profile operation was not selected, an action panel is displayed to the user in step 72. The user may select one of plurality of keys represented by blots on the action panel in step 74. System 10 then displays all of the definitions for the selected key in step 76. The user can then select another key or as in step 78 select one of a plurality of actions to be preformed on the selected key or keys. The plurality of actions include edit, swap, deselect, display and exit. If the edit action is selected, a edit pop-up panel is presented to the user in step 86 to facilitate the change of one or more of the existing definitions for the selected key in step 88. If the swap action is selected, the user would have previously selected two keys. The definitions for the selected keys are exchanged in step 90. If the deselect action is selected, the user has previously selected one or more keys and has decided to select a different key or keys. Step 92 eliminates the previous selected key or keys. In step 80, the display action enables the user to keep a running account of the changes made to the definitions of the selected keys. Step 82, which is similar to step 68, displays a plurality of keyboard panels associated with predetermined sections of the selected keyboard. In step 84, the user has selected the exit action. System 10 prompts to user to indicate whether he wants to save the modified keyboard profile prior to exiting the program, exit without saving the modified keyboard profile, save the keyboard profile then continue with the program, or continue without saving the keyboard profile.

In step 72, the user selects an action from the action panel. If the display action is selected, the system 10 in step 96 displays a plurality of keyboard panels associated with predetermined sections of the selected keyboard. The panels are arranged in a predetermined order and will be displayed with first panel in the predetermined order being displayed first. Thereafter, control is transferred to step 72. The user may also select an exit action in step 98 which transfers control to step 72.

Referring to FIGS. 3 through 19, there is shown a configuration file name specification panel, FIG. 3, which includes a default configuration file name supplied by the system 10. The user either agrees with the default name displayed by the system 10 or enters another configuration file name. System 10 then displays a keyboard definition utility panel shown in FIG. 4 whereby the user is prompted to select one of a plurality of emulators listed therein. In a keyboard type panel shown in FIG. 5, the user must select one of the physical keyboards listed therein. FIG. 6 shows a panel wherein the user selects one of a plurality of profile operations to be performed. Once the profile operation has been selected, the exact operations which follow depend on the which profile operation was selected. If a change, delete or display operation was selected, the user must enter a profile name in a profile name panel shown in FIG. 7. If a create operation was selected, the user must specify an existing model profile name and a new profile name in the panel shown in FIG. 8. The user may request that system 10 display a list of existing model profiles names by selecting an associated function key on the keyboard 22 (FIG. 1) shown in the specify profile names panel shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 displays a select profile name panel which is a list of existing model profile names among which the user may select any one thereof. A typical entry in the select profile name panel is "3EUS" for the model profile name and "IBM Enhanced Keyboard layout United States" appearing in the comment field for the above-identified model profile name. FIG. 10 allows the user to enter any comments desired in a comments panel. FIG. 11 shows an action or keyboard layout panel which displays a layout of the selected physical keyboard. The user then selects one of the keys and the system 10 responds with the pop-up panel shown in FIG. 12 which shows the current definitions for the selected key. If the user selects a second key, system 10 will also display a second pop-up shown in FIG. 13 while displaying the pop-up panel of FIG. 12. Thus, the current selected key definitions and the prior or immediately previous selected key definitions will continue to be displayed. If the user was to perform an action on the selected key or keys, the user must select one of the actions listed on the action bar shown at the top of the action panel (FIG. 11). If the exit function is selected, the user must select one of the operations listed in FIG. 14. FIG. 15 shows all of the definitions of the selected key if the edit function is selected. In order to modify the displayed definitions, the user types over any of the definitions. The swap function panel shown in FIG. 16 enables the swapping of the definitions of two selected keys. The deselect function panel, shown in FIG. 17, allows the user to erase the pop-up panel for any previously selected key and enables the user to select a new key. If the user selects the display function, FIG. 18, the system 10 displays a plurality of keyboard panels, one of which is shown in FIG. 19, associated with respective sections of the selected keyboard. The keyboard panels will be displayed one at a time in a rotating manner. The keyboard panel which includes the last selected key will be displayed first.

In summary, a unique method of and system for, remapping a keyboard within a computer system in a user friendly manner. The user activates the keyboard remap program and then selects the type of keyboard layout to be remapped. The user is then prompted to select one of a plurality of operations to be performed on the selected keyboard. The operations include create a new keyboard, change, display or delete an existing keyboard. If the selected operations is create or change, the user is presented with a display- of a layout of the selected keyboard. Thereafter, the user selects one or more keys to be remapped and selects an action to be performed on the selected key or keys. The ..available actions include swap, edit, deselect, display or exit. In order to change one or more of the definitions for a selected key, the user selects either the edit or the swap function. The definitions may be a single character, a string of characters or a function. The user may then simultaneously view the definitions of a plurality of keys within a selected one of a plurality of sections of the selected keyboard. After the user has performed the desired actions on the selected keyboard, the user may store the modified keyboard and exit the remap program or perform other operations which are available in the remap program.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.